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4 Mar 2010 : Column 1308W—continued
David Miliband: Details of the next stages of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office programme of streamlining referred to in the statement have yet to be finalised.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 10 February 2010, Official Report, column 54WS, on Foreign and Commonwealth Office finances, how much he plans to require the (a) British Council, (b) BBC World Service and (c) FCO Services Trading Fund to contribute to his Department's budget. [319680]
David Miliband: I refer the right hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington) of 22 February 2010, Official Report, column 214W, namely that the British Council will make available £5 million to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and that the BBC World Service will make £7.7 million available to the FCO, including an underspend of £4 million in 2009-10. These contributions will not result in permanent reductions in their baseline, but are for 2010-11 only. FCO Services Trading Fund will make a special dividend payment to the FCO of £3 million in financial year 2010-11.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 10 February 2010, Official Report, column 54WS, on Foreign and Commonwealth Office finances, what annual limit will apply to the funds available to his Department under the foreign exchange adjustment account; and if he will make a statement. [319681]
David Miliband: For the financial year 2010-11, £20 million will be available as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office foreign exchange adjustment account. No arrangements have been made for departmental budgets for financial years beyond this, as such arrangements will depend on the outcome of a future comprehensive spending review.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 10 February 2010, Official Report, column 54WS, on Foreign and Commonwealth Office finances, how the operation of the new foreign exchange adjustment account differs from previous arrangements to manage his Department's exposure to exchange rate movements; and if he will make a statement. [319682]
David Miliband: The foreign exchange adjustment account will be a departmental unallocated provision which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) will draw on as necessary to manage the impact of foreign exchange fluctuations. It is not a return to the Overseas Price Movements Mechanism under which the FCO budget was adjusted from the Treasury Reserve to reflect foreign exchange rate movements.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 10 February 2010, Official Report, column 54WS, on Foreign and Commonwealth Office finances, what assets will be sold to make funding available for his Department's budget. [319683]
David Miliband: I refer the right hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington) of 22 February 2010, Official Report, column 213W, namely that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office publishes details of disposals quarterly in a letter to the Foreign Affairs Committee. For commercial reasons and in order to realise maximum value from disposals, we do not publish details of planned disposals in advance.
Departmental Wines
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on its wine cellar in each of the last five years. [320344]
Chris Bryant: The Government Hospitality wine cellar provides for all Government Departments. For the period 2004-08, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln (Gillian Merron) to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 20 April 2009, Official Report, column 510W.
The figure for 2008-09 was £121,939.
Diplomatic Service: Manpower
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultation took place with each of the Civil Service unions on proposals to replace management officers in overseas missions with locally-engaged staff; on what dates such consultation took place; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the report on the outcome of such consultation. [318449]
Chris Bryant: The trade union side (TUS), including representatives from those trade unions officially recognised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), were consulted several times informally between 8 June 2009 and 29 January 2010. That informal consultation continues.
The TUS side were consulted formally at Whitley Council meetings on 17 July and 18 August. The TUS also put their views about the localisation programme to the FCO Whitley Council Joint General Purposes Committee on 24 September 2009.
Egypt: Christianity
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations his Department has made to the Government of Egypt on the treatment of Coptic Christians in that country. [319652]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government condemn all instances of discrimination and persecution of individuals and groups because of their religion or belief. At Egypt's Universal Periodic Review in February 2010 we encouraged further efforts by the Egyptian government and others in authority to reduce and prevent discrimination on the grounds of an individual's religion or belief. We have also raised the shooting dead of seven people outside a church in Naga Hammadi with the Egyptian Government at ministerial level and received assurances of Egypt's commitment to protecting its Christian population. We welcome the Egyptian Government's pursuit and arrest of the perpetrators of the crime.
The protection of human rights, including freedom of religion, is a central component of Egypt's ongoing dialogue with the EU.
G20: Public Relations
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 16 September 2009, Official Report, column 2232W, on G20: public relations, what the cost to the public purse was of the external contracted staff; and from which companies they were contracted. [315498]
Chris Bryant: A temporary unit was created within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to support posts across the world in their engagement with stakeholders overseas, help organise local events during the run up to the summit, as well as providing information for the London G20 summit website.
The unit was staffed by FCO and temporary staff with specialist project co-ordination and website development skills. Temporary staff included a project co-ordinator and two events delivery co-ordinators hired from PA Consulting at a cost of £166,934. Two digital editors and a media co-ordinator were also hired through COI GovGap at a cost of £90,400. No external public relations or public affairs firms (consultancies) were contracted to provide support for the London G20 summit.
HIV Infection
Mr. Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to fulfil its commitments under the Aids strategy, Achieving Universal Access, in (a) Cameroon, (b) Cote d'Ivoire, (c) Thailand and (d) Russia. [319169]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) role under the Government's Achieving Universal Access HIV strategy is primarily focused on advocacy and lobbying to support the strategy's aims. Our work is targeted towards those countries in which issues of gender inequality, stigma and discrimination are stopping people from taking up preventive services and testing, disclosing their status, and seeking treatment and care.
In Cameroon, we have been fighting institutionalised and societal stigma against people living with HIV/AIDS through a project called "Rights of AIDS Sufferers", run in the North-West region. It has encouraged employers and socio-cultural groups to adopt specific policies that protect the rights of HIV-infected workers. The work of the project was reported nationally on TV and in the print media.
Our embassy in Moscow is supporting an Oxfam project aimed at improving access and quality of health care for poor and marginalized groups, including those suffering from HIV and AIDS. The project strengthens the role of a coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in holding the Government accountable for access to and quality of health care. The two-year project covers seven regions of Russia. Some of the interim outcomes include an increased awareness by citizens of their rights and the involvement of NGOs in helping to draft regional legislation on accessible health care, with the NGO focusing on the poor and vulnerable.
HIV is a global issue and the FCO also works multilaterally for global leadership and effective funding for HIV prevention, treatment and care, including in the countries listed. The UK works on the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board to push for improved human rights for at-risk communities and vulnerable people. For example, in November, the UK worked successfully with the Eastern Europe Constituency and others to protect financial resources for a HIV/AIDS prevention programme in Russia, targeted at high risk groups.
In addition to our multilateral work, our Posts have been active in Sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia, although no specific activities have been undertaken under the Strategy in Cote d'Ivoire or Thailand.
Thailand has been recognised as a visionary leader in the AIDS response, and our embassy in Bangkok is currently reassessing what action it might take, under the strategy, to support the Thai Government's efforts.
India: Christianity
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of India on the treatment of Christians in Orissa State. [319662]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We maintain a dialogue with the Indian authorities on these issues. On 2-5 February a member of our High Commission in New Delhi participated in an EU delegation to Orissa. The EU delegation met Government and police officials, civil society and victims in Bhubaneswar and Kandhamal. They noted some progress on rehabilitation and resettlement. They also determined that the central government in New Delhi were providing basic financial compensation for some of the victims of the 2008 violence. The local authorities continue to work to address displacement and justice issues. The EU also identified cross-community peace-building initiatives and improving the capacity of victims' lawyers as important areas to address.
Niger: Politics and Government
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with representatives of the African Union and the Government of Niger on the safety of people travelling to and from Niger following the coup in that country. [319427]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The safety of UK nationals is of primary importance to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). We received information from a variety of sources including international partners at the time of the coup and adjusted our Niger travel advice accordingly, available on the FCO website. No harm came to any UK national in Niger during or after the time of the coup. The FCO will continue to monitor the situation closely.
Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation
Mr. Dai Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the (a) Parliamentary Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) Group and (b) Top Level Group of
Parliamentarians for Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation to discuss nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament. [319847]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: My right. hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary last met and discussed nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament with the Top Level Group of Parliamentarians for Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation on 10 February 2010. He has not met recently with the Parliamentary Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament Group.
Work and Pensions
Carer's Allowance: Gwent
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Islwyn constituency who are ineligible for income support (a) are entitled to and (b) receive carer's allowance. [318144]
Jonathan Shaw: The information is not available in the format requested; it is not possible to say for what reason a claimant getting carers allowance might not be getting income support.
Departmental Cleaning Services
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether all contracted cleaners for her Department's buildings in London are paid at the level of the London living wage or a higher level. [318516]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 24 February 2010]: The Department encourages all of its suppliers to maintain good working conditions for their staff but their actual terms and conditions are a matter for them.
Departmental Consultants
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much her Department spent on external recruitment consultants in 2009; [317166]
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much her Department and its agencies spent on external recruitment consultants in the last 12 months. [315697]
Jonathan Shaw: The Department and its agencies spent £10.4 million on external recruitment consultants in the last 12 months.
This exceptional figure reflects the need to recruit over 15,000 additional staff into Jobcentre Plus in a very short period of time to meet the extra demands created by the recession. I expect the figure for 2010-11 to be substantially lower.
Departmental Contracts
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by what mechanisms she plans to ensure that prime contractors in respect of work choice programmes include third sector and small and medium-sized enterprises as sub-contractors in their bids for contracts. [320076]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 2 March 2010]: Prime contractors will be expected to ensure that DWP provision is joined up with local partnership arrangements, working with smaller, specialist providers many of whom will be Third Sector or voluntary organisations dealing with disadvantaged groups in the local area.
Two networking events were held in September 2009 to facilitate bringing together smaller specialist organisations and potential Work Choice Prime providers. Nearly 600 people attended these events.
Departmental NDPBs
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for how many non-departmental public bodies her Department is responsible. [314257]
Jonathan Shaw: Information on the number of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) sponsored by my Department is published in the annual Cabinet Office report, "Public Bodies" 2009 is available online at:
Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Departmental Plants
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much her Department spent on pot plants in 2009; [317165]
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much (a) her Department and (b) its agencies has spent on pot plants in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10. [319202]
Jonathan Shaw: DWP occupies all of its properties under the terms of a facilities management contract under which it pays an overall charge in return for fully-serviced accommodation including, where appropriate, the provision of interior plants. It is not charged separately for any elements of this contract.
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